This morning we awoke to our first below freezing daytime temperature this season.
Now, at 10 o'clock, with brilliant sunshine and no wind, it has warmed to 40F,
however we are in for a week of very chilly temps.
Winter has arrived at last in the southeast.
Still no snow in the forecast though. I do hope we will at least have one snowstorm
with a few inches on the ground - fun for the children, garden will look glorious for a
day or so, and plenty of photo ops for those of us who lug our cameras everywhere.
Nothing pretty to cut in the garden at this time of year.
My flowers are one of the bouquets from our recent family
wedding. I hope perhaps it will dry and I can continue to
display it and recall that exciting, wonderful day.
The bride and groom are cruising the Caribbean right now,
having a wonderful time I'm sure.
Speaking of the garden, yesterday we spent several hours in cool sunny conditions -
quite invigorating I must say - removing most of the outdoor decorations. Have left the
fairy lights on the side arbor and gate, pleasant to view on a cold dark night when
arriving home. I removed all the decorative ornaments from the tree in the gazebo,
leaving the lights, another pleasant winter warmer when peering through
the kitchen windows into the darkness of the garden beyond. I may just leave
it there until early Spring.
While working outside, I hung this adorable tiny birdseed covered cottage, a
gift from my neighbor Lori who knows how much I love the wild birds.
The first bird I saw visit, within minutes of hanging, was one of my Carolina wren
family - it checked the house from top to bottom but didn't snack. Wrens apparently
don't eat commercial seed as I rarely see them on the feeders either.
My now dead and shriveled Boston ferns still hang on the porch. As always,
year after year, the wren family come at dusk and sleep the night away in their
makeshift hotel. I don't have the heart to take the baskets down until replacing
with fresh ones come Spring.
Yesterday, more raking/blowing also took place. Most of the leaves are down
now, another mountain at the curb awaiting the final city pickup later this month.
At 5 o'clock, garden tools were wiped clean and stored, gloves and scarves
were pulled off, jackets unzipped . . . . . . . time for hot chocolate as we'd missed
teatime, but we felt like we'd accomplished a lot to keep the winter garden looking good.
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It's looking good inside and outside at your house, Mary. The new little birdhouse is so sweet. You might almost hope the birds don't eat it so it stays looking so charming. But, then again, what fun would that be for the birds and the birdwatchers.
ReplyDeleteYour day of gardening sounds delightful. I am enjoying the sunshine after our weekend of gloom :). My husband was telling me about the upcoming cold front headed our way. Brrr. Time for more hot chocolate.
Happy New Year to you and your hubby.
We are having bitter cold temps and every thing is frozen solid. We only have a little dusting of snow, nothing like the blizzard conditions we had last year.
ReplyDeleteLove your bird house, such a nice gift.
Patricia
Gardening in that weather would be a good reason to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. Temperatures have warmed up out here - and that means rain, not snow. Everything must be looking spiffy around your place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute seed birdhouse Mary. It was cold today here as well, but I spent most of the day in Greenville SC and it warmed up to 53 there.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Penny
Your home is so beautiful; I do love that lampshade and all the little details you have there. I am making do with my modern, beachy aqua and sand home that we bought and it does have its benefits but my heart is really more traditional and cozy. So I enjoy seeing how others have decorated their homes in styles that delight my eye. I do hope you get some snow so I can also revel in that pristine white beauty that evades us here (though I do admit some local cities actually got snow last week . . . it only lasted a few hours, and we did not see any here).
ReplyDeleteMary, you would be hiding under a blanket if you lived here. We are in a deep-freeze and temps are dropping to -35 tonight. Coldest day yet will be tomorrow. I plan to do house-work and stay put. I adore that little bird-house. My property birds would devour it. I have some hungry ones there. Today I put peanuts out for them and the Chickadees had a feast. They loved them. I hope they have found shelter for tonight, poor things. I guess all we can do is keep them fed. My feral cats are looked after, too. Did I mention how much I love your blog? Well............I do! Deb
ReplyDeleteThe deep cold is over us too Mary, only it's -2F. here tonight. It didn't get above zero F today. Bone chilling! I love the cute birdhouse seed feeder. I hope you get a bit of snow just for the opportunity to take photos. Enjoy your outdoor mini lights and keep warm. Pam
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good winter day - and the seed covered birdhouse is so cute!
ReplyDeleteA lovely day and you place looks even lovelier! I miss gardening but I have to say, Mary, with all the snow we've had lately it would be fairly impossible presently. We did have such a lovely Christmas time though, must say. Wishing you a wonderful new year, full of unexpected joy and delight.
ReplyDelete